When the trial round was over, the three mentors chose their teams. Then, all the contestants went backstage to rest.
"Five hundred yuan. Not bad," Lin Yuan shrugged as he looked at his assigned value.
"One hundred yuan! Haha, I'm the lowest in the whole group," Tang Tian said cheerfully. "But at least Sister Yanzhi picked me!"
"A hundred yuan just means you're the best value for money," Zhou Yanzhi laughed. "Two mentors wanted you. That shows you've got huge potential."
"Totally!" Li Jinghao butted in. "Zhou Chi was scrambling to get you on his team. And you picked Yanzhi instead? Talk about a shocker!"
[Li Jinghao, a 21 - year - old contestant, got 300 yuan. He's a drama major from an art college.]
"What can I say? I'm good at sizing people up," Tang Tian said with a big smile.
Shen Yiran eyed Lin Yuan curiously. "Have you ever acted in movies or TV shows before?"
"Nope," Lin Yuan replied honestly. "But I've taken acting classes."
[Shen Yiran, a 24 - year - old contestant, got 700 yuan. She started as a child star and has been in many dramas.]
Shen Yiran arched an eyebrow. "How do we practice for the next show?"
"Maybe just focus on becoming the character?" Lin Yuan shrugged.
"Hmm, that's not enough." Shen Yiran waved the script. "This scene isn't just about showing emotions. We need to pay attention to details. The professor's death and the dog's loyalty—you can't just cry to move the audience."
"Got it." Lin Yuan nodded. He wasn't used to being questioned, but he understood her point.
Zhou Yanzhi clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Okay, enough testing each other. Let's talk about tomorrow's task."
The group huddled together as Zhou Yanzhi unfurled the script. "This scene is from a classic flick. It's all about the special bond between a professor and his dog. Tomorrow, we're going to bring its most tear-jerking moment to life."
Lin Yuan opened the script and skimmed through it. The story was about a professor who had to leave town due to health problems. His two children, one in college and the other working, came to the train station to see him off. But the dog seemed to sense something was wrong and desperately tried to stop him from boarding the train. The professor left anyway and later died in another city. The dog waited at the station until its last breath.
"Am I playing the professor's son?" Lin Yuan asked.
"Right. Your role isn't long, but it matters a lot," Zhou Yanzhi said. "You have to show how an adult feels when their old dad leaves. You're worried, but you also want him to do what he wants."
"What about me?" Tang Tian asked.
"You're the daughter, a bit more emotional than Lin Yuan's character. You'll show your reluctance more openly."
"Got it. Then what about the dog?"
"We'll use a prop for the dog tomorrow," Zhou Yanzhi smiled. "But you have to act like it's really there."
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Jinghao raised his hand. "What's my role?"
Zhou Yanzhi leafed through the script and said, "You'll play a railway station worker. Your task is to help the professor's kids figure out why the dog won't leave and decide if they should take it home."
"Sounds important," Li Jinghao said, stroking his chin. "How should I act?"
"Your character is an older staff member who's seen many similar situations. You need to show experience mixed with a bit of helplessness."
"Experience and helplessness? Like an elder who's seen a lot of life's ups and downs?"
"Exactly. So, practice speaking in a deeper voice to sound more mature."
"Should I wear a fake beard?" Li Jinghao suddenly had an idea. "It'll make me look the part."
Zhou Yanzhi was surprised, then laughed and nodded. "Sure! Ask the props team for a beard. It'll make you look the part."
"I'll go prepare right away!" Li Jinghao slapped his cheeks and stood up, excited. "I'll also practice my old - man voice."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh, and the mood lightened up.
Then Shen Yiran spoke up. "Sister Yanzhi, what about me?"
Zhou Yanzhi smiled. "You'll play a pushy woman who wants to buy the dog."
"…What?" Shen Yiran stared, shocked. "A... a shrew?"
"Yeah. Your character spots the dog and tries to buy it. But you're so pushy and don't care about how the dog feels, and that's what starts the fight."
"What exactly do I do?" Shen Yiran asked, annoyed but still serious.
"Act like you're totally in the right, like money can solve everything. But when you try to take the dog, Li Jinghao and the professor's children will stop you. Even the onlookers will judge you, and you'll leave embarrassed."
Shen Yiran sighed. "I was a child star! My first role back is a shrew?"
"Can you handle it?" Tang Tian teased.
Shen Yiran glared at her, planted her hands on her hips, and barked, "I'll give 200 yuan for this dog! Why stop me? It'll have a better life with me!"
The room went silent for two seconds, then everyone burst into applause.
"Wow, nice job!" Li Jinghao laughed, slapping his thigh. "You nailed it!"
"Not bad," Lin Yuan nodded with a smile.
Fixing her hair, Shen Yiran sniffed. "Of course. I've had acting talent since I was a kid."
Tang Tian joked, "Don't get too into it when you start arguing tomorrow, or people might actually gather around to watch."
"Don't worry," Shen Yiran tossed her hair, looking proud. "I'm a pro."
Zhou Yanzhi watched, nodding with approval. "Perfect. It's all set. Study the script tonight, and we'll perform tomorrow!"
"Good luck tomorrow!"
====================
试水赛结束,三位导师陆续选完队员,所有参赛者回到后台稍作休息.
"500元,还行." 林远看着自己的身价,耸了耸肩.
"100元,哈哈,我是全场最低." 唐甜倒是很乐观,"但至少妍芝姐也选了我!"
"100元才说明你性价比最高." 周妍芝笑道,"两位导师都想要你,说明你潜力无限."
"对啊对啊!" 一旁的李景浩接话,"刚刚周驰导师都抢疯了,没想到你居然选择了妍芝姐,太让人意外了."
[300元的男生:李景浩,参赛者之一,21岁,艺术院校表演系学生,主攻话剧表演.]
"没办法,我比较看人眼光." 唐甜笑眯眯地说道.
沈依然看着林远,眼中带着几分审视:"你以前拍过影视剧吗?"
"没有." 林远坦然地回答,"但上过表演课."
[700元的女生:沈依然,参赛者之一,24岁,童星出身,曾参演过多部影视剧.]
沈依然挑眉:"那你知道待会我们要怎么练吗?"
"尽量融入角色?" 林远随口道.
"嗯,还不够." 沈依然轻轻晃了晃手中的剧本,"这场戏关键不只是情感表达,还有对细节的处理.教授的离世,狗狗的执着,这种情绪不是简单的哭泣就能打动观众的."
"明白." 林远点头,他不太习惯被人质疑,但也明白沈依然的意思.
周妍芝轻轻拍了拍手,吸引了所有人的注意:"好了,大家先别互相考验了,先来说说明天的任务."
众人围坐在一起,周妍芝将手中的剧本摊开:"我们的片段来自一部经典电影,主要讲述教授和狗狗之间的羁绊.明天,我们要还原其中最让人泪目的片段."
林远翻开剧本,浏览了一下,片段大致是:
教授因身体原因即将离开小镇,他的两位子女,一个在上大学,一个已经步入社会,都来车站送他.但狗狗似乎察觉到教授身体有异样,疯狂地想要阻止他上火车.教授最后还是离开了,结果不久后在外地去世,而狗狗则一直在车站等待他回来,直到它生命的最后一刻.
"我是教授的儿子?" 林远问道.
"对,你的剧情不多,但很重要." 周妍芝解释,"你得表现出一个成年人面对父亲年老离去时的复杂情感,既担忧,但又想让父亲按照自己的意愿生活."
"那我呢?" 唐甜问道.
"你是教授的女儿,角色比林远稍微感性一些.你更容易受情绪影响,会直接流露出自己的不舍."
"懂了." 唐甜点头,"那狗狗呢?"
"狗狗明天会由道具代替." 周妍芝笑道,"但你们要假装它真的在场."
她的话音刚落,李景浩率先举手:"那我的角色呢?"
周妍芝翻开剧本,看着李景浩:"你会是火车站的工作人员,主要任务是劝导教授的子女,让他们理解狗狗为什么会一直等在车站,同时引导他们做出决定,到底要不要把狗狗带回家."
"听起来很重要啊." 李景浩摸着下巴,点点头,"那我要怎么演?"
"你的角色是一个比较年长的工作人员,曾经见过很多类似的情况." 周妍芝想了想,说道,"你需要表现出一种既有经验,又带点无奈的感觉."
"经验和无奈?" 李景浩皱眉思考,"是不是有点像那种见惯了悲欢离合的长辈?"
"对." 周妍芝点头,"所以你最好练习用低沉的语调,让自己听起来更沉稳."
"那我是不是要贴个假胡子?" 李景浩突然灵机一动,笑着问道,"这样会更有代入感."
周妍芝愣了一下,然后笑着点头:"可以啊,你可以去找道具组贴个假胡须,让自己更像个年长的工作人员."
"那我现在就去准备." 李景浩拍了拍自己的脸,兴致勃勃地站起来,"等一下我试试老年嗓."
所有人都忍不住笑了出来,气氛顿时轻松了不少.
这时,沈依然也开口了:"妍芝姐,那我呢?"
周妍芝看向沈依然,嘴角微微一扬:"你是个想把狗狗买回家的,泼辣妇女."
"...啥?" 沈依然一愣,瞪大了眼睛,"泼... 泼妇?"
"对." 周妍芝忍着笑,认真地点点头,"你的角色是一个看到狗狗可怜,想要用钱买走它的人.但你做事比较鲁莽,没有考虑狗狗的感受,所以才会引发冲突."
"那我具体要演什么?" 沈依然有些无语,但还是认真问道.
"你要表现出那种理直气壮的感觉,仿佛只要自己愿意花钱,任何事都能搞定." 周妍芝笑道,"但当你试图带走狗狗时,却被教授的子女和火车站工作人员也就是李景浩拦下,甚至被围观群众指指点点,最后不得不狼狈离开."
沈依然无奈地叹了口气:"我以前可是童星出身的啊,没想到回来之后第一个角色居然是泼妇."
"你能演好吗?" 唐甜在一旁调侃道.
沈依然瞥了她一眼,突然冷哼了一声,双手叉腰,眼神一横,语气刻薄地说道:"这狗我出两百块买了!你们干嘛拦着我?跟着你们能有什么好日子?!"
"..."
整个房间瞬间安静了两秒,然后大家齐刷刷地鼓掌.
"哎哟,可以啊!" 李景浩笑得直拍大腿,"你这演得太有那味了!"
"有点东西." 林远也笑着点头.
沈依然一边整理头发,一边哼道:"那当然,毕竟我从小就有演戏的天份."
唐甜则笑着说:"明天你骂街的时候别太投入,免得真的被人围观."
"放心吧." 沈依然甩了甩头发,神情得意,"我专业的."
周妍芝看着他们,满意地点了点头:"很好,那就这样定了.今天晚上大家再熟悉一下剧本,明天正式上场!"
"明天加油!"